Traction-plow-controlling mechanism.



L. E. WMERMJANx TRACTION PLOW CONTROLHNG MECHANISM.

APPUCATSON man AUG-24, 1914. 1,1 98%99, Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

r T 2 SHEETS-SHEET a.

L. E. WATERMAN.

TRACTION PLOW CONTROLUNG MECHANISM.

APFLlCATlON FILED AUG.24,1914.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED snares Artur orrron LEVTIS E. WATERMAN, OF RQCKFORD, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNOR T0 EMERSON-BRANTINGHAM COMPANY, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ACORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

- TRACTION -PLO'WCONTROLLIN G MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

Application filed August 24, 1914. Serial No. 858,337.

and useful Improvements in Traction-Plow-v Controlling Mechanism, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates in general to mechanism for controlhng the depthto which plows will operate in the soil, and more per:

ticularly refers to mechanism for controlling the depth of operation ofa tractor gang plow.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to providemechanism which is accessible to and capable of being operated by thedriver of the tractor, so that the driver can regulate the depth of theplows to a fine degree of nicety without leaving his seat on thetractor.

Another object of the invention is to provide mechanism for regulatingthe depth'of the plows, which will be easy to manipulate, and which willautomatically remain in any position to which it may be adjusted without the employment of auxiliary sustaining or locking mechanism.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas the same becomes better understood by reference to the followingdescription when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings.

Referring to the drawings: Figure l is a fragmentary"plan view of a plowequipped with my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 ofFig. l, and Fig. 3

. is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

On the drawings reference character 5 indicates the main frame of atractor of any well-known or preferred construction. The frame isprovided with a seat 6 .for the tractor driver and with a downwardlyextend.- ing reinforced draft frame 7 to which the forward end of thedraft member 8 is connected by a coupling pin 9 or other suitable means.

A lifting and lowering arm 11 is pivoted to the rear end of the tractorframe one pin 12 and has connected thereto an upwardly extending arm 13held in fixed relation with the arm 11 by braces 14, the upper end ofarm 13 being connected by a link 15 with lifting and lowering mechanism(not shown) carried and operated by the tractor.

The plow frame designated generally by reference character 16 hasrigidly connected thereto a. series of plow beams 17 each carrying atits rear end a plow 18. The plows are adapted to be lifted and loweredby the arm 11 through the intermediary of a chain 19 attached at itsupper end to a book 21 and connected at its lower end by chains 22 andwith the plow frame. The chain 22, as will be obvious from Fig. 2, isshorter than the chain 23 and is connected with the} frame in front ofthe transverse axis thereof so that initial movement of the arm 11 willexert a practically direct upward pull upon the forward portion of theplow frame so that the oints of the plows will be tilted upwardly tiereby enabling the plows to be easily drawn out of the soil. As theplows leave the soil the forward end of the plow frame will be lifted inadvance of the rear end until a pair of brackets 24 extending upwardlyand forwardly from the front end of the plow frame are brought intoengagement with the rear end of the tractor frame to thereby arrestfurther upward movement of the front end of the plow frame. Continuedupward movement of the lifting arm 11 will thereafter cause the rear endof the plow frame to be tilted upwardly about the point of engagementbetween the bracket 24 and the tractor frame 5 as a pivot until theplows are elevated to the desiredheight above the ground. IV hen theplows are carried in elevated position they will be prevented fromswinging and rocking-by the brackets which engage the tractor frame at aplurality of spaced points.

Prior to my invention, it has been the practice, as far as I am aware,in tractor. plows of this character to regulate the depth at which theplows will operate, by means operable from the gang plow only. I havefound, however, that with such means, depth axles in their hearings onthe frame to raise orlower the wheels 27 and 28 with respect to theframe, thedepth at wgliihh" the plows:

a ta l will 'iperaie can be regulated to a line degree of nicety and bythis same mechanism the l, atoms of the plows may also be leveled.il'pon each of the shafts and 26 I mounted a \vorni-whcrd 2i) to meshwith and be operated by a worm I 3 1 lixed on a short shaft 32 which is.inountcd in "a suitable bracket 33 secured upon one of the beams 1?.Since the worm and ()j' aring worms for both of the i i aresubstantially identical, =tail description of one which is clearly ed inbig. 3 will snllice for an. unders. ,ndine of both. "ll wori for aijnsting therefore.

shaJf $1 V and 26 are ma ipulatcd by rods 34- and 35 respectively,connected by means of uni" .l connections 36 with their respcctixwornrshafts. The opcrating rods or Sllllren and 35 extend upwardlythrough brackets :31 and 38 on the tractor frame adjacent to thedrii'efs'seat and are shaped at their upper ends to provide cranks and4:1 by means of which the rods may be operated to rotate the axles andthereby adjust the position of the wheels. When the plow I frame israised and lowered bodily by thei lifting arm 11, the rods 3% and willslide longitudinally through the eyes in the bracket arms 37 and 38 soas-not to interfere operating the crank ll, be may raise or lower thewheel 28. The position of these wheels with respect to the plow framewill obviously determine the depth at. which the plows will operate. Byraising or lowering one of the wheels with respect to the other, thebottoms of the plows may be leveled so as to cut in the desiredhorizontal plane. After the plows have been adjusted by the n'icchanismdescribed, they will be maintained in their adjusted position byfrictional engagement between the worms and their respective worm wheelswithout the employment of any additional or auxiliary locking means.

My invention and its mode of operation should be clearlv understood fromthe "foreg'oing without further description, and it will be obvious thatvarious changes and modifications in the details of the constructionillustrated and described may be resorted to without departing from the.scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

1 claim:

1. in a tractor propelled implement adapted to be lifted bodily from theground by a tractor, the combination of a frame, carthnvorhing toolsrigidly carried y the frame, supporting wheels adjustablymouno ed on theframe at each side thereof to regulate the \vm'liing depth of said toolsand level said. tools, means including a worm and gear for adjusting thesupporting wheels and maint .ining them in adjusted position, meansextending from the frame into position to be operated from the tractorfor acid ating said worm and gear, and means carried by the tractor forlifting said frame, wheels and adjusting means bodily and supporting thesame solely from the tractor.

The combination of a tractor, an implement frame having its forward endpivotally attached to and supported by said tractor, an earth-workii'igimplement carried by said frame, means disposed in posit-ion to {beoperated from the tractor for leveling the implement and regulating theworking depth of said implement, and meanscarried by the tractor forraising said frame and said regulating means bodily and supporting thesame from the tractor with the implement clear of the ground.

3. In a tractor propelled implement adapted to be lifted bodily from theground by the tractor, the combination of a frame, earth-working toolscarried thereby, a crank-axle mounted on the frame adjacent each sidethereof, a supportingavheel mounted on each crank-axle, a worm. and gearcon nccted with each crank-axle for adjusting the same to regulate theworking depth of the tools, a shaft connected with each worm, extending,in proximity to the tractor frame and provided with a haxul-crank, andmeans for guiding the crank ends of the shafts so as to permit theshafts to move with the frame as the same is raised and lowered.

4. In a tractor-propellcd implement adapted to be lifted bodily from theground by the tractor, the. combination of a frame, earth-working toolscarried thereby, a crankaxle mounted on the frame adjacent each sidethereof, supporting-wheels mounted on each crank-axle, a worm and gearconnected with each crank axle for adjusting the saine to regulate theworking depth of the tools, a shaft flexibly connected with each worm,extending: in proxin'iily to the tractor frame and provided with ahandcrank, and means for guiding the crank-ends of the shafts so as topermit movement of the shafts with the frame as the same is raised andlowered.

' LElVIS E. lVATllRl/iAN.

\Vitnesscs:

G. R. llliLLT-in, L. Giiurnu.

